In 2020, prior to the conception of the ACS NRTCC, the American Cancer Society released the updated Cervical Cancer Screening Guideline supporting the transition to primary HPV screening as the preferred method for cervical cancer screening. Primary HPV screening every 5 years was shown to be a more effective approach to cervical cancer screening, but the transition from less effective options was slow. In the fall of 2021, the American Cancer Society’s Primary HPV Screening Initiative set out to support the transition to primary HPV screening as the dominant screening approach in the United States. With nearly 100 expert volunteers on six workgroups and a Steering Committee, this initiative went beyond guideline development and into guideline implementation.

The Initiative filled a key implementation gap in cervical cancer screening and management in the U.S. and was a crucial step in the successful adoption of primary HPV screening and alignment of guidelines across organizations. Achieving these objectives provided a critical infrastructure to support ongoing advancements in cervical cancer prevention, early detection, and elimination in the years to come.